Control apparatus for looms



Aug. 2S, 1936.

R. ROSSMANN CONTROL APPARATUS FoR'LooMs Filed May 23, 1953 in ZEW/2 Patented Aug. 25, 1936 narran' srAres PATENT @FENCE CONTROL APPARATUS Fon LooMs Application May 23, 1933, Serial No, 672,389r In Germany May 23, 1932 7 claims. (ci. 139-336) ,f

vThis invention relates to control apparatus for looms of the kind employing shuttles of the gripping or nipper type.

Protective devices which automatically control Y looms, for example by stoppingvthe loom ,whenY `a warp or weft thread breaks, have hitherto only been employed so as to be dependent for their operation on the continuity of the warp or weft threads or the normal operation of shuttles of the 10 pirn type. Devices commonly referred to as warp, weft and shuttle protectors are furthermore so slow in operation that it has hitherto proved necessary to provide considerable time intervals in the periodically repeated cycle of operations in 15, order to ensure reliable operation of the control or protecting devices. The intervalsof rest or stoppages thus imposed result in a loss of time which tends to place an undesirable limitation on the speed of operation of the loom.

OU With a View to reducing delay in operation in weaving looms it has been proposed to provide electrically operated devices depending for their operation upon the continuity ofthe warp or weft threads, but the problem is somewhat diff A 5 ferent in the case of looms employing shuttles of the gripping or nipper type and to which the present invention relates.

lControl apparatus according to the present invention comprises two or more control circuits for operating indicating means and/or stopping the loom, each circuit being controlled by twov switches in series with each other, one a timing switch and the other an operating switch, and

means for controlling the operating switch -in 45, tension, and the associated timing switch in that circuit is at the same time in the closed position, the loom will be stopped and/or the indicating means actuated.

Preferably each circuit includes a visible sig- 50 nailing device, such for example as a lamp, the several indicating devices being conveniently mounted upon a common base.

The invention rendersit possible to control as desired the individual protecting devices and 55 .to avoid all premature or belated action,v The invention therefore has the advantage that the time intervals between the several working steps of the'loom can be reduced to a minimum, thereby avoiding undesirable limitation of the speed of operation of the loom. 5

Preferably the operating switch in at least one of the control circuits comprises a movable member in the form of a feeler arranged between the weft 'feeding point and the point at which the gripping shuttle picks up the weft, the feeler bela) ing normally engaged by the weft thread so that in the eventof this breaking or the tension of the thread being insufficient the feeler member closes the operating switch.

In looms ofthe type to which the invention l5 relates, that is to say the type employing grip-- ping or nipper shuttles, the projecting end of the weft after this has been introduced into the shed isfsometimes bent into the succeeding shed and care must therefore be taken that the end of `l the weft thread is rmly held in a clip to maintain the tension in the weft untily it has been beaten up and the projecting ends bent in. When therefore the present invention is applied to suchA a loom the operating switch in at least one conx trol circuit may comprise a movable member in the form of, al feeler arranged between the edge or selvedge of the cloth and the point at which the weft thread is held in the clip or the point at which the` thread is severed, the ieeler being 30 normally engaged by they weft thread so that in the event of lthis breaking or the tension in the thread being insuicientfthe feeler member closes the switch Similarly if desired the operation of the operating switch inat least one of the circuits may be dependent upon operation of the shuttle. Thus when the shuttle fails to operate in the normal manner the operating switch may be actuated so that when the associated timing switch is closed, the corresponding signalis operated and/or the loom'is'stop'ped. This arrangement is particularly applicable in the case of looms employing gripper shuttles in which the shuttle boxes are xed since, in such cases, a shuttle which has not been perfectly tted into the shuttle box will tend to stick between this box and the reed and thus damage one or both of these parts. It is therefore important that the protecting device associated with the .shuttle should act quickly and precisely at themoment when faulty operation occurs.

If desired the operating switch in at least one circuit may comprise a member carried by the hea/id frame so that as the heald frame moves 5` the operating switch is periodically opened and closed. In this way when the heald frame ceases to operate normally the operating switch associated with the heald fra-me and the corresponding timing switch will both be in the closed position at the same time so that the corresponding signal will be actuated and/or the loom stopped.

A further part of looms employing gripping shuttles which is liable to cause serious trouble ii not operated in the normal manner is the feeder or transfer hammer whereby the weft thread to be picked is fed to the shuttle. It is particularly desirable to ensure that the feeder or transfer hammer returns from its delivery position without delay so as to allow the succeeding feeder or transfer hammer which has, for example, to supply a thread of a different color to move into the delivery position since, otherwise, the feeder hammers are liable to foul each other and thus cause damage.

With a view to obviating the possibility of such damage the operating switch in at least one circuit may comprise, according to the invention, a member whose operation is dependent upon normal operation of the feeder or transfer hammer. Thus, when the return movement oi" the feeder or transfer hammer from its delivery position is delayed, the operating switch associated with the hammer and the corresponding timing switch in that circuit will both be closed at the same time so that the corresponding indicating device will be actuated. and/or the loom stopped.

The presently-preferred system incorporating these and other inventive concepts is shown, quite schematically, by way of illustration, in the accompanying drawing, which is an assembly, diagrammatic View.

In the. construction illustrated in the drawing, a drum or cylinder I which is continuously rotated in the direction of the arrow is divided into annular Zones 2a, 217, 2c, 2d, 2e, and 2f which carry projections or contact bars 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e, and 3f, these contact bars being angularly and axially spacedY apart on the cylinder I. A battery 4 supplies electric current for six circuits indicated at 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, 5e, and 5f, these circuits respectively including signal. lamps 6a, 6b', 6c, 6d, 6e, and Gf mounted on a com-mon base 1. The circuits 5a., 5b, 5c, 5d, 5e, and 5f are controlled not only by the contact bars 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, Se, and 3f, hereinafter referred to as timing switches, but also by switches 36-39, 28--29---39l 2I-22, I9, 2li- 25, and 33 34-35 which will be referred to as operating switches, the timing switch and operating switch in each circuit being arranged in series with each other. The operation of each of the operating switches is dependent upon the operation of a different part of the loom or the continuity of a thread. Thus, for example, the operating switch I9 may be dependent upon the continuity of a weft thread so that when this breaks switch I9 is closed, the operation of the switch 24-25 being, for example, dependent upon the operation of a part of the loom such as, for example, the shuttle, the operation of the switch 28-29--30 may be dependent upon the operation of the heald bar, and

so on.

The spacing oi the contact bars 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d,

3e, and 3f for operating the timing switches M is such that with the cylinder I rotating at a substantially constant speed the contact bars 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e, and 3f will bridge the corresponding contacts in the circuits 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, 5e, and 5f successively at time intervals corresponding to the intervals between the functions of the loom in accordance with which the several operating switches are controlled. Thus, for example, if the operating switch I9 is associated with a weft thread so that in the event of this breaking the operating switch I9 will be closed, whilst the switch 28-29-39 is associated with the heald frame, the time interval between the closing of the timing switch operated by the contact bar 3d and the closing of the timing switch operated by the contact bar 3b will be approximately equal to the time interval between the point at which the weit thread associated with the switch I9 is under tension in the shed and the point at which the heald frame reaches a predetermined position in its movement.

The operation of the apparatus is then as follows: When one of the timing switches, for ex- 'ample that associated with the circuit 5d, iS

bridged by the contact bar 3d on the cylinder I and if at this moment the operating switch I9 is closed due, for example, to breaking of the weft thread associated with that operating switch current will flow through the circuit 5d, whereby a solenoid 9 will be energized and operate a. switch 4U which controls flow of electric energy which is4 used for stopping the loom, the lamp Bd on the signal board 'I being at the same time illuminated. The attendant can then immediately locate the point at which trouble has occurred It will therefore be seen that it is not necessary to examine every vulnerable point of the loom so that considerablev time is saved and the output of the loom is. increased.

The operating switch (9 responds to the condi.- tions of the weft thread I6 employed in the manufacture of a fabric I.5 The weft thread I'6 which is picked or shot by the nipper shuttle I 4 into the shed. passes between two rods. I1, I.8' arranged outside 'the edge or selvage of, the cloth, Switch I9- which, at. the` same time acts as a feeler, is so arranged between the rods. I1 and I8 that it is normally engaged by the picked weft thread I6. When, however, the weft thread I6 breaks or when its tension within the shed is less than that desired, the feeler I9 will drop. and thus close the contacts of the operating switch.. If the feeler I91 constitutes, for example, the movable Contact of aswi-tch, and when the. feeler I9 and the contact bar 3d simultaneously close the. contacts of the operating and timing switches respectively, the solenoid 9 will be. energized to stop the loom. and the corresponding signal lamp 6d willf be illuminated.

Switch 2 I-22 constitutes an arrangement partictrlzrrhr sitable for' use in looms'y employing nipper shuttles which it has. been proposed to' bend the ends of the weft threads, where these are severed, intothe next shed for the purpose of producing a selvage, this bending-inV being effected by holding the two ends of' the weft thread in clips which maintain the cut-oir weft under tension prior to bending-m of the endsY of the weft thread by suitable devices. In the event of the. weft thread I l breaking or its tension being insufliciently maintained by the, clip 2.0,. a feeler ZIV which rests on the weft thread I6. will come into contact with a contact- 22 of the switch. If the clos-ing of the contact 22 coincides withthe closing of the corresponding contacts of the timingr switch operated by the Contact bar 3c, the associated circuit 5c' will' be closed so that the. solenoid 9 will be operated tostop the. loom, the

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corresponding signal lamp 6c being at the same time illuminated.

Switch 24-25 operates in accordance with the operation of the shuttle. If the shuttle I4 is not driven fully into the shuttle box 23, a contact 24 will remain closed by a spring contact 25 operated by a plunger 26. If the contacts 24 and 25 are closed and when the associated contact bar 3e onvthe cylinder I closes the contacts of the timing switch in the circuit 5e, the solenoid 9 will be operated to stop the loom and the corresponding signal lamp 6e illuminated. During normal operation of the shuttle I 4, that is to say, when this fully enters the shuttle box 23, the plunger 26 will force the contact 25 clear of the contact 2d during operation of the corresponding contacts of the timing switch so that the solenoid 9 will not be energized.

The heald frame 21 in moving up and down temporarily bridges, by means of a bar 28, fixed contacts 29 and 30 forming, for example, the contacts of the operating switch 28-29-30- When heald frame 21 is correctly operated, the contacts 29 and 30 are opened at the point of the reversal of the frame, that is to say, when the corresponding contacts of the associated timing switch operated by the contact bar 3b are closed. If, however, normal operation of heald frame 21 does not take place, the contacts 28, 30 will not be broken or will have been rebridged when the corresponding contacts of the associated timing switch operated by the cylinder I are closed by the contact bar 3b. As a result, the solenoid 9 will be operated to stop the loom and the corresponding lamp signal 6b illuminated.

Switch 33-34-35 is dependent upon correct operation of the feeder or transfer hammer which supplies thread to the gripping or nipper shuttle. When the hammer 3| enters the shuttle box 32, it moves the pin 33 so as to close two contacts 34, 35 forming the contacts of the switch. The hammer 3l, however, must leave the position shown without delay after supplying the thread to the shuttle. If the hammer does not leave in time, the contacts 34, 35 will be bridged at the moment when the corresponding contacts of the associated timing Switch operated by the contact bar 3f on the cylinder I are closed, so that the solenoid 9 5,61 will be energized and the loom* stopped, the corresponding signal lamp Sf being at the same time illuminated. If, on the other hand, the hammer 3I is operating correctly, that is to say, is leaving the shuttle box 32 without undue delay, the contacts 34, 35 will be broken when the corresponding contacts operated by the contact bar 3f are closed. In this way the possibility of several hammers fouling each other and thus becoming bent or broken is obviated.

If desired, one or more of the operating switches may be dependent for its operation on the continuity or tension of warp threads; a switch mechanism may be provided comprising stationary contact members 36 which are insulated from one another and an electrically conductive bridge member 39 which is carried by the heald 31. Thus, when a warp thread 38 breaks or its tension is insuflicient, the corresponding portion 39 will fall as indicated by dotted lines and connect the electric contact bars 36 so that, if at the same moment the corresponding contacts of an associated timing switch are closed, the corresponding lamp signal will be illuminated so that the attendant can immediately locate the broken or slack warp thread.

it possible not only to ensure full protection against faults occurring in the cloth manufactured and protection for the sensitive parts of the loom but, in addition, provides for rapid lo- The invention, which is of particular impor-v tance for complicated weaving machines, makesv cation and rectiiication kof any faults by the attendant. A particular advantage of the invention is, however, that the time interval between the individual working operations during which trouble is liable to occur can be reduced as de sired so that the several working operations may be arranged to take place in more rap-id succession and thus increase the output of 'the loom. The construction above described is also advantageous in that the consumption of current in the control apparatus is small since any one of the circuits is only closed when a fault occurs. It will be understood that, instead of providing contact bars of the brush type on a rotatable carrier member as above described, the carrier member may be furnished with means such as, for example, cams which successively actuate members constituting the movable contacts of the timing switches.

I claim: A

Vl. In a high speed power loom having a plurality of different operating members a unied control system comprising a source of power, a continuously operating central power distributor, and periodically operating a plurality of power connectors, a plurality of power operated signals, v

a power conduit connecting al1 said connectors with said source in parallel, and a plurality of power conduits individually connecting said connectors and said signals, detectors associated with said operating members and being individually responsive to the operating conditions of said diierent members, power-flow control means adapted to be operated by said detectors, a plurality of power conduits individually and operatively connecting said power-flow control means with said signals, and an actuating means for stopping the operation of the loom, said actuating means being operatively connected with all of said power-flow control means and being power actuated upon simultaneous operation of said connectors and power-now control means.

2. A unified control apparatus for high speed looms, comprising at least two electric circuits, electrically operated indicating means and electrically operated loom stopping means serially arranged within each of said circuits, timingswitch means and operating-switch means also serially arranged within each of said circuits, individual detectors adapted to individually operate said operating-switch means, each of said detectors being adapted to be responsive to the operating condition of a dilerent part of the loom, each of said timing-switch means consisting of at least one stationary and one moving part, said moving part being adapted to periodically operate said switch means, all of said moving parts being rigidly connected to a continuously moving comoperate said circuit opening and closingI means, each of said detectors being adapted to be responsive tothe operating condition of-a di-ierentl part of the loom, each of said electric. current switch means consisting of at leastone stationary and one moving part, said moving part being adapted toperiodically operate said electric current switch means, all said moving parts being. rigidly connected to a common continuously moving carrier, whereby the speed of movement of all moving parts is maintained alike, at least one of said circuit opening and closingmeans comprising a member adaptedtobe actuated by theheald frame.

4. A. unified control apparatus for high speed looms having a shuttle transfer hammer, said control apparatus comprising at least two electric. circuits, electrically operated indicating means. and electrically operated loom stopping means. serially arranged within eachof said circuits, electric current switch means and circuit opening and closing means also serially arranged within said circuits, individualdetectors adapted to individually operate said circuit opening and closing means, each of said detectors being adapted to be responsive to the operating condition o-f a different part of thev loom, each of said electric current switch means consisting of at least one stationary and one moving part, said moving part` being adapted to periodically operate said electric current switch means, all said moving parts being rigidly connected to a continuously moving common carrier, whereby the speed of movement of all moving parts is maintained alike, at least one of said circuit opening and closing means comprising a movable contact member connected to and adapted to be actuated by said transfer hammer.

5. A unified control apparatus for high speed looms having a weft thread feeder, said control apparatus comprising at least two electric circuits, electrically operated indicating means and electrically operated loom-stopping means serially arranged within each of said circuits, electric current switch means and. circuit breaking and connecting means also serially arranged within said circuits, individual 'detectors adapted to individually operate said circuit breaking and connecting means, each of said detectors being adapted to be responsive to the operating condition of a different part ofthe loom, each of said electric current switch means consisting of at least one stationary and one moving part, said moving part being adapted toj periodically operate said switch means, all said moving parts being. rigidly connected to a continuously moving common carrier., whereby the speed of movement of all moving parts.l is maintained alike, at least one. of said circuit breaking and connecting, means comprising a movable contact. member and adapted to be actuated by said weft thread feeder.

6. in. a high speed power loom having. a plural'- ity of different operating members, a unied control system. comprising a source of electric power, a plurality or control conduits connected with said source, a periodically operated switch. in each of said conduits, each switch comprising` a Vsta--` tionary and a movable part. and being adapted toy individually, periodically, and directly connect and disconnect said control conduits with and from said source of electric power, all said. mov-* able parts being connected with a common. continuously rotating carrier, an electrically operated signal means within each of said control conduits, a circuit breaking and connecting means in each of said control conduits, each of said circuit. breaking and connecting means. being responsive to the operating condition. of a different one of said operating members, an operating conduit interconnectingsaid control conduits. and connected to said source of electric power, and electrically driven operating means. in said. operating conduit, said operating means being. actuated upon closing ci one oi said periodically operated switches at. times when one of said. circuit break.- ing and connecting means is in connecting condition, one of said operating members being constituted by a warp thread, one by a shuttle, one

by a heald frame, one by a transfer hammer,` and 3 one by a heald.

7. A unified control apparatus for high speed. looms comprising a. plurality of electric. lines arranged in parallel, a plurality of different. detectors, line. breaking and connecting means connected toY and adapted to be operated by each of said detectors, and a periodically-operated, momentarily acting electric current switch serially arranged in each of said lines, an electric conduit interconnecting. and making up a circuit together with said lines arranged in parallel, loom-stopping means, and a sourceA of electricity serially arranged in said conduit, whereby switching on of current iiow is elected only by said currentv switches when said line breaking and connecting. means are in line-connecting condition, and sparking is. prevented at said line-breaking and -connecting means.

RUDOLF ROSSMANN.. 

